Environmental Concerns

1. Environmental Concerns GA Ag Education Curriculum Animal Science Committee May 2007

2. Objectives: • Evaluate producers of agricultural animals as caretakers of the environment. • Describe the concept of the greenhouse effect. • Summarize how the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide is maintained in the atmosphere. • Discuss how bacteria can be beneficial to the environment. • Determine consumer concerns with various phases of the animal and meat industry.

3. Topics • What additional concerns do consumers have toward the environment? • Discuss facts and perception of each of the above concerns. • What is the greenhouse effect? • How is the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide maintained in the atmosphere? • How are bacteria beneficial to the environment? • What are consumer concerns in the animal and meat industry?

4. What additional concerns do consumers have toward the environment? • Air quality • water quality • global warming • methane gas • bacteria from animal waste

5. What are some of the facts and perception of each of the above concerns.

6. What is the greenhouse effect? A higher concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes the heat from the sun to become more intense and the temperature of the earth is increased.

7. How is the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide maintained in the atmosphere? • Plants and animals.

8. How are bacteria beneficial to the environment? • Bacteria break down organic matter such as manure in lagoons. • By using manure, we can reduce the amount of commercially produced fertilizers.

9. What are consumer concerns in the animal and meat industry? • A. Animal welfare and care • B. Residues in meat • C. Humane slaughter • D. Food safety

10. What This Means • The environment is of utmost importance to consumers and agriculturalists alike. • Without a good environment we could produce very little food for the consumers or the farmers.